'Extremely lucky' garda dragged by car was not more seriously injured

A garda was fortunate to escape serious injury when he was carried with half his body hanging out the window of a car that was reversing at speed to avoid detection.

Footage of the incident was circulated on social media after a person sent a video to the Joe Duffy show on RTÉ.

It captured the unfolding events after a car came upon gardaí on Cork Street, in Dublin's south inner city, just before midnight last night.

The clip shows the garda's lower body and legs dangling out the passenger window of the car as it reversed at speed back up the road, narrowly missing two vehicles.

Following a massive garda response the garda was safely recovered and the two occupants of the car arrested.

Local garda representative Damien McCarthy said the garda was extremely lucky he did not receive serious injury, or worse, saying there was a “real and substantive risk to life”.

Gardaí from the Dublin South Central division were responding to reports regarding a car which they tried to intercept on Cork Street at around 11.45pm.

When a garda on the passenger side of the car tried to converse with the occupants, footage showed the vehicle suddenly and rapidly reversing.

The images show the garda on the passenger side being carried backwards with half of his body, including his legs, hanging out.

Colleagues, who were on foot conducting the checkpoint, tried to chased after the car.

A Garda statement said that the initial garda contact was on Cuffe Street, close to Royal College of Surgeons, before the car sped away to Luke's Avenue, on the bottom of Cork Street.

“After failing to stop for Gardaí, a pursuit took place from Cuffe Street to St Luke's Avenue where a Garda Member was injured when the vehicle reversed as he approached,” it said.

“After assistance from the Garda Air Support Unit, the two males were arrested and were detained at Kevin Street Garda Station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. The Garda Member received minor injuries and was taken to St James Hospital where he was later released.

A listener says this happened on Dublin’s Cork Street last night. Hope the poor Garda being dragged along by the car is ok. ⁦@GardaTraffic⁩ ⁦@DubFireBrigade⁩ ⁦@rteliveline⁩ 1850715815 pic.twitter.com/3PfWt4uhtE

— JOE DUFFY (@talktojoeduffy) August 1, 2019

The statement added: “A search of the prisoners also yielded a small quantity of suspected ecstasy tablets, suspected MDMA and drug paraphernalia. Investigations are ongoing.”

Garda McCarthy, Dublin South Central representative for the Garda Representative Association, said: “This clearly demonstrates the type of difficulties we face.

"On this particular occasion, we were extremely lucky that the garda didn't receive very serious injuries and where there was a real and substantial risk to life, not only to the garda, but also to his colleagues and members of the public.”

He said they appreciated the speedy response from other gardaí on duty and the assistance of Dublin Fire Brigade in bringing the garda to hospital.

He said there was a “deep sense of shock” among gardaí in the area.

“We have previously looked for legislation to protect frontline public servants being attacked and obstructed – the Government might wake up and give that due consideration and review legislation," Garda McCarthy said.